Ravana battles the great vulture Jatayu and defeats him by throwing stones in his mouth, folio 18 (recto) from a Chandana Malayagiri Varta (Story of King Chandana and Queen Malayagiri) of Karamachand Northwestern India, Rajasthan, Rajput Kingdom of Kishangarh

Ravana battles the great vulture Jatayu and defeats him by throwing stones in his mouth, folio 18 (recto) from a Chandana Malayagiri Varta (Story of King Chandana and Queen Malayagiri) of Karamachand

1744–45

Northwestern India, Rajasthan, Rajput Kingdom of Kishangarh

Image: 13.4 x 14.9 cm (5 1/4 x 5 7/8 in.); Page: 28.8 x 20 cm (11 5/16 x 7 7/8 in.)

James Parmelee and Cornelia Blakemore Warner Funds 1968.108.a

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Did You Know?

The blood-covered stones will weigh the bird down, so he cannot rescue Sita.

Description

Scenes of the abduction and rescue of Sita are embedded within a popular tale rewritten in a Gujarati-Rajasthani vernacular language by the poet Karamachand in 1629–30. Many details differ from the more well-known Ramayana of Valmiki. The artist shows Ravana as a merchant carrying Sita in a white sack slung over one shoulder. As Jatayu, a vulture ally of Rama, attempts to rescue her, Ravana attacks him with a sword, above. He then defeats the bird by throwing stones in his mouth. He painted the stones with blood, so Jatayu would swallow them.